Monsters and Mice
by xPeterPanNeverFailsx
Summary: Some may call him my true love, but I had another name for him. He had disappeared when I had been only seven, but that did not mean that I didn't love him with all of my heart. He was my best friend, my only friend, and I would find him.


**I've noticed that there aren't nearly enough Felix stories, so I decided to try to write one myself. May be a bit OOC at the end.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time**

**xxxxx**

_There was chaos around me. I was surrounded by people running and screaming for their lives. But I was all alone. All by myself in the hurricane of pandemonium around me. No protection but what I could do myself, which wasn't much. I ran. Suddenly there was a blade blocking my path._

"_Well, well, what do we have here?" jeered the man towering above me. "It looks like I've found myself a toy." He said, reaching for me. I couldn't move, so I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed. I screamed for my mother. I screamed for help. But loudest of all, I screamed for the only friend I had._

_Just when it seemed like I was out of luck, a voice growled from the shadows. "Don't you touch her."_

I gasped as I jolted from the dream. Sitting up quickly, I took in my surroundings. Why was I damp and covered in sand? Oh yeah. A shadow had pulled me from my window and dropped me in an ocean. I must have washed ashore.

I saw no sign of life, only rocks beside me, an ocean in front of me, and trees behind. With nowhere else to go, I made my way towards the trees. As I wandered, I heard the sounds of birds above me and other wildlife, but still nothing to suggest that people lived here.

I looked around for hours with no result. I sat on a nearby rock and sighed as I brushed by brown curls back from my face. My only purpose in coming to this place, this Neverland of legend, was to find someone. The same someone that I had been searching for the past ten years. Some may call him my true love, but I had another name for him. He had disappeared when I had been only seven, but that did not mean that I didn't love him with all of my heart. He was my best friend, my only friend, and I would find him.

Determined, I rose to my feet once again when I heard the sound of feet coming towards me. I hid. One of the things my friend had taught me was how to blend into the shadows.

"Come on Felix, please. You never tell us stories." Begged the voice of a young boy.

"Yeah, it's your turn." Said another.

"Fine, fine." Conceded the boy who must have been Felix. "I'll tell a story. But I don't promise you'll like it." He grumbled. Based on their voices, I guessed that the small group had stopped and were now sitting to listen to the story. I poked my head around the tree to look at the group.

Sitting only a few feet from me were four boys between the ages of twelve and fifteen. But what really shook me was the older boy they were looking at. Sitting on a rock facing me, and looking about seventeen, was the boy I had spent most of my life searching for. I froze.

I had heard about this place and how it froze you in time, stopped you from aging, but I hadn't believed it until now. The boy I stared at looked exactly the same as the one I knew from so long ago. Curious, I stayed put as he began his tale.

_Long ago, there was a big, monstrous bear. He lived in the Enchanted Forest just outside of a small town located on the ocean. But the bear never ventured into the town because he was not welcome there. You see, the bear was different, so the people had banished him to the forest to live on his own. He had no family, no friends. But that all changed the day he met Kay._

_Kay was a shy little girl form the town. And she didn't have any friends either. So desperate, she wandered out into the forest to find someone who might like to play with her. At first, the bear thought she was foolish. There was nothing but monsters in theses woods. But the bear found himself following her anyway. _

_Eventually she stopped on the bank of a nearby stream to rest her feet. But the bear made a mistake. He got too close and the girl heard him. But the girl did not seem afraid. Instead, she called out to the bear and invited him to sit with her. So he did._

_When it got late, the girl had to leave. The bear found himself to be disappointed. No one had ever sat in his presence this long since the day of his banishment. But before she left, she promised that she would be back the next day. And as she walked into the trees, she called back, "My name is Kalyn." Then she giggled and ran away. But true to her word, she came back. And she kept coming back every day for almost a year. _

_They would play, or sometimes just sit, but they became friends, and that's all they needed. _

_Then one day, Kay told the bear something that struck him to his very soul. She told him that she loved him. The idea was so foreign, that someone could love him, that he didn't believe it at first. But then she promised him that she would always love him and that she would marry him one day. _

_The bear could not contain his happiness so he began to laugh. Someone actually loved him. But his little Kay was far too young to even comprehend the impact of her words, so he promised her that he would wait._

_And to this day, he is still waiting._

He finished his story and the boys let out a collective groan of disappointment. Felix rolled his eyes. "I said you may not like it. Now we should head back to camp." He said as he led the way back. I moved to follow, only to have my hair yanked back painfully.

"Well, look what we have here." Said a boy with a thick accent. "Boys! We have an intruder." He called and the group of five turned to face us as the boy pulled me into the clearing with the others.

"A girl?" spoke one of the younger ones. All the others laughed, except Felix who glared.

"How did you get here?" demanded the boy with the accent.

"Shadow." I said, not in a very giving mood at the moment.

"My shadow brought you here?" he scowled. At the word 'his', it clicked. This must be Peter Pan, the cruel leader of the Lost Boys that inhabited this island.

"Yes." I answered.

"Well, I have no use for a girl on this island, especially one who barely speaks. What do you say Felix? Should I go ahead and slit her throat?" he asked. Felix almost cracked a smile and my heart almost broke. He didn't recognize me.

"Wait!" I yelled. I did not make it this far only to be killed. I looked up at Pan, a pleading look in my grey eyes. "I came to search for someone. Please, if he's not here, I'll just leave. You don't need to kill me." I pleaded. Pan considered my words for a moment. The other boys continued to laugh and jeer while Felix remained emotionless as he glared.

"Very well. Since I am in such a forgiving mood today, I will give you twenty four hours to plead your case." Pan said, looking at me. I nodded, stomach clenching.

"Alright." I said. "Where should I start?"

Pan raised his eyebrows. "Oh no. You won't be pleading your case to me. You'll be trying to convince Felix. After all, it was his privacy you intruded on." He grinned maliciously. "And I think you'll find that he is much more ruthless than I am. Good luck." He said, and then disappeared into the trees.

I couldn't help but feel a little sense of relief at that though. All I had to do was convince Felix of who I was. I looked to him when Pan escaped my sight and was faced with a rather angry scowl.

"I guess that means I'm to follow you then?" I asked. His scowl only deepened in response and he trudged off, leaving me to trail behind. We walked in silence for a few minutes, heading towards camp I'm guessing, before I decided to speak.

"Well, my name is-" I started, only to be cut off.

"I don't care what your name is." Stated Felix. "You are an intruder and you don't belong here. The only decision I have is to determine if you should live or if I should have the pleasure of slitting your throat."

His words surprised me. Did I truly not look familiar at all?

"Fine. If you don't want me to speak, will you at least finish telling your story? I would love to hear the end." I asked.

"You heard the ending." he growled. And that was the end of that conversation. We walked the rest of the way back to camp in silence. When we reached the clearing, he walked over to a tall tree and pointed.

"I live up there." He said. "I may not like it, but Pan has ordered me to watch you for the next twenty four hours so you will stay with me at all times. Understand?" he asked almost patronizingly. I nodded and couldn't help but let a small grin slip onto my lips at the sight of the tree house above me.

"Something funny?" he growled.

I looked at him realizing my mistake. "No, sorry. I just like that you live in the trees, is all." I said, giving him a soft smile. At my words, his brow creased a bit as if remembering a distant moment in time, but he shook if off quickly.

"Just climb." He ordered.

When I reached the top, I took in the little tree house. It was rather simple. There was a large bed that took up the majority of the space, as well as a table, a chair, and what looked like a small cupboard carved from the tree they were in. I sat on the edge of the bed as I waited for Felix to catch up.

He scowled at me again when he saw me sitting on his bed, but he didn't say anything. He just dropped his cloak in a corner, grabbed a knife and a piece of wood and began to whittle away, taking a seat in the chair. I watched him for a few minutes, fascinated by the boy in front of me. He only glanced up once, but when he noticed me staring, he shot me another glare and focused on his work.

I allowed myself to fall back on the bad and we sat in silence. After a while, I decided to speak.

"You know, it's hard for me to plead my case if you're just going to ignore me." I said. Felix grunted and paused in his work, looking up at me.

"I don't care about what you have to say." He growled.

"Well I'm not interested in dying tomorrow." I continued fiercely. "Like I said, I have to find someone."

His eyes widened a bit at my aggressive tone. "Fine. But if you insist on speaking, at least say something interesting." He said.

"What would you find interesting?" I asked. He paused, thinking.

"You got to hear my story. You tell me one." He finally said. "If I like it, I'll consider sparing your life." I couldn't help the small grin that appeared on my lips.

"Fair enough." I said. I knew just the story to tell, so I began.

_Once upon a time, there was a little mouse. She lived in a village far away on the coast of the nearby ocean. This mouse was still very young and she had much to learn about the world. Now, mice are well known for hiding, and, true to the belief, this mouse was very shy. Sure, she had her mother who loved her very much, but the mouse had no friends among the others in her village. In fact, she had only one friend._

_Rumor had it that there was a monster that lived in the forest that surrounded the village on its other sides. So this mouse, young and desperate for a friend as she was, went in search of this monster. _

"_I'm going to be the first one to find him." she thought, because no one in the village had ever seen this creature. They only believed him to be there because of the many unexplained thefts that plagued the village and rumors spoken in whispers by the adults. Some said that they had seen a shadow creeping through the village at night, but there was nothing to prove them right other than more missing livestock._

_So the little mouse wandered. She searched the forest for hours after sneaking out of her house while her mother was working, but she found nothing. Finally, exhausted and feet sore, she sat down next to a stream to rest and eat the cheese she had brought with her. It was then that she heard a branch snap behind her. The girl spun quickly, suddenly afraid. _

_All she saw was a shadow disappear around the side of a tree. Her fear evaporated. "You can come out." She called into the trees. "I won't hurt you." The shadow peeked its head around the tree and slowly began to emerge. When it had fully revealed itself, the little mouse found herself faced by a large bear. _

_The bear approached her slowly, hoping not to scare the little mouse away. Instead of running though, the mouse only moved closer. "You're not so scary." She whispered. "Are you really the monster everyone talks about?" she asked softly. The bear nodded its great head. _

"_You do not fear me, little one?" he asked in his rumbling voice. The little mouse shook her head. _

"_Would you like to sit with me?" the little mouse asked. The bear nodded and moved to sit next to the stream with her. So she began to munch on her snack with the bear by her side. She even broke off a piece and offered it to the bear who accepted almost shyly. _

_When it began to get dark, the little mouse rose to her feet. "I have to go now or mama will worry." She said and the bear's eyes shone with disappointment. "But I will meet you here tomorrow if you like." _

"_Yes I would like that." He said._

_And so the little mouse returned every day for almost a year to sit with the bear by the stream. Some days they would talk, others they would sit in silence, others they would play games in the surrounding trees. But no matter what they did, they were always happy in the presence of the other. _

_The bear liked to make pretty things for his little mouse while they sat. Each time her mother would come home to find her playing with a wood carving or see flowers in her hair she would ask where they came from. And each time the little mouse would respond, "they are from my monster". He mother never suspected that her meaning was literal._

"_Why do the people in my village fear you?" the little mouse asked her friend one day._

"_Because they do not understand me." Was his only response. _

"_Is that why you live out here?" she pressed._

"_No. I live here because your people banished me when I was very young. It's because I'm different, and different is not accepted."_

"_I accept you." she said, very quietly._

"_Then you are the only one." He responded sadly. _

"_What will you do?" she asked. "I do not want you to spend the rest of your life alone out here."_

"_Sadly, I think that is my fate, little mouse. No one will ever love me." He said._

"_I do." The mouse whispered so softly, she was surprised to see the bear turn his head to her in shock. _

"_You do?" he asked, not even trying to mask the awe he felt. _

"_I do." She said stronger. "And If no one else will love you, then I will marry you." she said with conviction. _

_The bear began to laugh. "I'm afraid you're too young, little mouse." _

"_I'll be eight next month." He replied indignantly. _

"_And I am seventeen." Said the bear. _

"_Then I'll wait until I'm older." She said. "I promise." The bear stopped laughing, settling on a smile that he hadn't worn in a long time._

"_Then I will wait too." He said. "Because would could turn down a little mouse as beautiful as yourself?" he finished._

"_Promise?" she asked, looking at him with big grey eyes._

"_I promise."_

_As it got late, the little mouse began her return home to her village as her bear walked off into the woods. It wasn't until she was right on the edge of the village that she heard the screams. Looking around frantically, she spotted the ship stopped about a mile off shore. Pirates. There was a raid and she was all alone. _

_She scampered off quickly to find someone, anyone, who could help keep her safe while trying to remain unseen, but her efforts were in vain. A sword came down just in front of her causing her to squeak and halt in her tracks. _

"_Well, well, what do we have here?" jeered the pirate towering above her. "It looks like I've found myself a toy." He said, reaching for her. Unable to move, the little mouse did the only thing she could. She screamed. She screamed for her mother. She screamed for help. But loudest of all, she screamed for her monster._

_Just when it seemed like she was out of luck, a voice growled from the shadows. "Don't you touch her."_

_Startled, the pirate looked up and was faced with the giant shape of a bear. Terrified, the pirate swung his sword. It hit its mark. The bear howled in pain and plunged its razor sharp claws into the pirate's heart. With blood dripping from his face, the bear lowered himself to the ground and looked at his little mouse. She returned his gaze steadfast, unafraid of him even now, having seen him kill that man._

"_You're safe now." He said._

"_Thank you." she whimpered. She leapt forward and hugged the bear as tightly as her little arms would allow."_

"_Rest now." He said. "I'll watch over you." So the little mouse fell asleep in her monster's arms. _

_When she woke the next morning, she was in her own bed. "Mama?" she called out. Her mother came running into the room._

"_Sweetheart. Are you all right?" she asked._

"_Yes mama." Then her eyes widened as she remembered the previous night. "Where's my monster mama? Is he okay?" Her mother's face darkened._

"_We found that creature by you after the raid. The men ran him off into the woods. Looks like he was badly injured. Good riddance." She spat. "I'm just glad you're safe." _

_The little mouse bolted out of bed. "No!" she shouted. "I have to see him. I have to make sure he's okay." She called as she ran out of the house, leaving her worried mother behind. _

_But it was useless. She searched and searched. She went to all of the places they had played. She sat at the stream for hours. But her friend was gone. She knew, deep in her heart, that he had left to protect her, but that did not ease the pain. So she made a vow, that one day, she would find him again and she would keep her promise._

I stopped. My story was over. I looked up from the ground where I had kept my gaze fixed as I spoke to look Felix in the eyes. I was met with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth. I even almost thought I caught a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

"Aren't stories supposed to have happy endings?" he choked out.

"Yours didn't." I retorted.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am the little mouse." I answered, deciding to be difficult. This boy had left me all alone for ten years. I wanted to see him figure it out himself.

"What is your name?" he continued, starting to get irritated.

"You tell me."

"Kalyn." He finally said. I nodded.

"Hello again Felix." I whispered. Felix didn't move, he just stared at me with an expression that was a mix between amazement and disbelief.

"You can't be." He muttered. "I left the Enchanted Forest-"

"Ten years ago." I finished. "Right after the pirate raid. I know. I searched for you for days." I finished. He continued to stare at me.

"Kay." He gasped.

"It's really me Felix." I said. That seemed to break the spell. In less than a second, Felix was out of his chair and over to the bed. He then picked me up in a very tight hug which I gladly returned.

"I never thought I'd see you again. When the villagers ran me off even though I'd been protecting you I knew they'd tell you all sorts of terrible things about me. You were so young. I didn't know what you would believe. I had to leave, to protect you. I'm so sorry." He rambled.

"Felix." I called softly, hoping he would slow down, but no luck. I leaned back so I could look him in the face. "Felix." I said a bit stronger. "It's okay." He stopped and looked at me. His face, which had been so emotionless earlier now shone with regret tinged with happiness.

"I understand why you left and it's alright." I continued. "I'm just happy that you found a place where you fit in." I gave him a soft smile. The sadness on Felix's face began to disappear.

"I waited." He said. "I kept my promise all these years."

I grinned at him. "Well then Felix, tell me. Am I old enough to marry you now?" I giggled. Felix's soft smirk turned into a full blown grin.

"Why, yes, I do believe you are." We both began to laugh, but I was cut short when Felix once again pulled me tight to his chest and placed his lips on mine.

There was nothing particularly special about the kiss. Just a quick peck on the lips that only lasted a few seconds. But for me, it was the best moment in the world. I had searched for this boy for ten years, and now I had found him. And he still loved me as much as I had always loved him.

When we broke apart, we just looked at each other, both smiling like idiots.

"It's getting late." He said. "We should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow, after all." He said as he pulled me with him onto the bed with my head resting on his chest. My stomach sank. For those few blissful moments, I had forgotten entirely about Peter Pan and Neverland.

"What will you tell Pan?" I asked.

"I will recommend that you stay with us. As long as you don't mind staying on the island." He said the last part quickly, hoping that I wouldn't turn him down.

"Of course not." I reassured him. "I want to be with you forever, remember? I'm never letting you go again." I whispered the last bit. I yawned and closed my eyes.

As I drifted off to sleep, Felix entwined our fingers and whispered so softly, I wasn't even entirely sure he said it, "I love you".

The next morning, I woke to Felix moving beneath me. I looked up at him with sleep filled eyes and was greeted with a tired smile.

"We should get down into the clearing." Said Felix. "Pan will be waiting for my decision." I sighed and got up. I was still in my clothes from yesterday, so there was nothing else to do but hear Pan's verdict. Felix leaned over and gave me another short kiss before leading the way down the ladder.

When we reached the bottom, I noticed that all the other boys had gathered and Pan was standing a bit apart from the others. He waved Felix forward when we were both on the ground.

"Felix." He greeted. "You have been my loyal friend and follower for quite some time now." Pan said, loud enough for the other boys to hear. "So I trust your judgment on the life of this intruder." He sneered at me. "Have you come to a decision?"

"I have." Stated Felix, back to his emotionless tone. "I have decided that she will stay with us." The look of surprise on Pan's face at that comment was enough to make me smirk. "She will learn the ways of Neverland and become a lost boy." He said with finality.

Pan stared for a moment before speaking. "Very well then." He conceded. "I gave you the responsibility of her fate and I leave it with you. I don't know what she said to convince you to spare her life, but if she is to stay, then I will leave her training in your hands." Pan said. Felix nodded. "But should she not carry her weight, she will answer to me." He finished menacingly and turned away.

When it had become obvious that Pan was done, the other boys were quick to disperse. Felix made his way over to me, face blank. But when I looked in his eyes, I could see a spark of happiness dancing there.

"Looks like we'll be spending a lot more time together." He said with a small smile.

"Yes it does." I smiled up at him.

As we looked at each other, Felix's reputation in danger and Pan's threat for me hanging over us, I still couldn't help but be happy.

Because this time, we would have our happy ending.


End file.
